Back in 2019, Criterion released its Godzilla: The Showa-Era collection which, to this day, remains one of the most impressive Blu-ray box sets of any kind you’re likely to find. But for these years, it’s only been available as a physical collection - until now that is. As of today, the folks at digital retailer Vudu have announced that the set collecting the first 15 films in the franchise is now available to purchase digitally. So, for those who have been wanting to watch Destroy All Monsters! without having to pop in a disc, now is the time.
The collection, which contains everything from 1954’s Godzilla to Godzilla vs. Hedorah, is now available on Vudu for $99.99. The price is listed as $224.85 but it appears to be “on sale” for the listed price. It is difficult to imagine them ever charging the full price for the digital set, truth be told. In any event, it’s cheaper than the Criterion box set, which retails for around $225, depending on the day and the retailer. Though there is much to consider with this purchase, but we’ll get to that in a second.
The films featured in the Godzilla: The Showa-Era collection include:
- Godzilla
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters
- Godzilla Raids Again
- Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster
- Mothra vs. Godzilla
- All Monsters Attack
- Invasion of Astro-Monster
- Terror of Mechagodzilla
- Son of Godzilla
- Destroy All Monsters!
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
- Godzilla vs. Megalon
- Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
- Godzilla vs. Hedorah
The benefit of this digital collection is undoubtedly convenience. Those who buy it on Vudu can watch the movies where they please without the need for a Blu-ray player. That said, digital ownership is a tricky thing as it’s not so much owning the films as it is renting them for as long as the retailer in question has the license to carry those films on their platform. There are numerous stories of people buying stuff through Apple or other retailers only to have those titles eventually disappear from their libraries for various reasons. Barring a burglary situation or a fire, nobody is taking a Blu-ray away from you. You buy it, you own it.
That said, not everyone wants to shell out for the physical Criterion set, and not everyone is as concerned with owning physical media. But it is worth nothing that Criterion often runs sales and is even, as of this writing, holding a flash sale that brings the box set down to $112 (you can grab a copy here). More than anything, it’s just worth weighing one’s options before spending $100 or more. A full description of the collection reads as follows:
“In 1954, an enormous beast clawed its way out of the sea, destroying everything in its path--and changing movies forever. The arresting original Godzilla soon gave rise to an entire monster-movie genre (kaiju eiga), but the King of the Monsters continued to reign supreme: in fourteen fiercely entertaining sequels over the next two decades, Godzilla defended its throne against a host of other formidable creatures, transforming from a terrifying symbol of nuclear annihilation into a benevolent (if still belligerent) Earth protector. Collected here for the first time are all fifteen Godzilla films of Japan's Showa era, in a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen.”
The Godzilla: The Showa-Era collection is now available on Vudu, which you can find by clicking right here.
